Improvement in boots and shoes



2 SheetsSheet 1.

F. J.BUROHA1V1.

BOOT AND SHOE.

mifmm s1 M/Z f n: mums vzrzas ca, PNOTG-LlYyiQ. WASHINGTON. a t:v

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. J. BURGHAM.

BOOT AND SHOE.

m: NORRIS PETERS 0o, PHOTDQLITHOW WASHINQTON n c.

I all kinds of leather boots and shoes, altiough deone of". the flaps A" is bent upward and drawn inward FRANKLIN J. FBURCHAM,

or R'AOINE, WISCONSIN.

Letters Patent No. 111,039, dated January 17, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT m BooTsANo SHOES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Bstent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Raciue, in the county of Racine and State of \Visconsiu, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boots and Shoes; and I do" hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in /the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this speciiication, in which- Figures 1 and 2 represent side views of u y improved shoe;

Figure 3 represents a plan of the shoe-pattern, or of the leather cut to form the shoe; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the counter and shankare formed./

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention is applicable to the const notion of signed particularly to be applied in the m nut'acture of orershoes; its object being to provide for public use a handsome, cheap, and durable overshoe, which shall he neater in appearance and easier to the foot than any heretofore broughtinto use; to this end The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the shoe, as I will now proceed to describe.

A shoe, when constructed after my method, is composed of three pieces of leather, designated in the drawing as A B G, the piece A forming the entire sole, toe, counter, heel, shank, and flanks, of the shoe; the piece B forming the quarters; and the piece 0 covering the instep.

The two upper pieces B O are united to the lower along a seam, c 0. They may be made of any kind of leather, tanned with or withoutthe hair; and, when tanned with the hair, that side may be placed out or in, at the option of the maker. A neat shoe is made, as shown in fig. 2, by placing the hairside out, and lining the shoe throughout or in part with flannel, felt, or other suitable material.

A thicker sole, an, and heel, u, may be added it preferred; but these are not essential.

The most important feature of the invention is the construction of the part A. Th s piece is first cut into the form shown in fig. 3, its re r end being slitted as shown at c a a afso' as to i'orin' a number of flaps, preferably three, A A A.

The central flap A is bent up to a vertical position;

until its rear edge e e, fig. 3, lies against the lateral r A is then brought to a similar posit-ion, its rear edge Be it known that I, FRANKLIN J. BUROHAM, of,

t i, fig. 3, covering the lateral edge a aot' the middle flap, fig. 4.

The three thicknesses thus brought together and lapping over each other form the counter of the shoe. By simply bringing them together as described, the sole, at D, is drawn up into the arched shape shown in figs. 1 and 2, thereby forming the shank.

The same result may be attained by cutting out a triangular piece from the rear end of the part A, and bringing together the edges of the"lea'ther 011 each side of the cut so as to form a vertical scam in the middle of the counter; but the other method is preferablc.

The heel, the toe, and the sides, are crimped into shape, but it is not necessary to crimp the shank, that part of the shoe owing its shape to the peculiar formation of the counter, and being in no danger of fiattening down or losing its shape so long as the counter lasts; and it will be observed that the counter is of triple thickness and exceedingly firm and durable.

It is obvious that the same principle maybe applied to the manufacture of top-boots, gaiters, Congressboots, and other kinds of boot and shoe.

The result is so great a saving of labor and material as to diminish the cost of the shoe nearly one-halt.

A boot or shoe formed in this way is, it the leather be of the proper quality, perfectly water-tight, there being no seam lower than that designated as c c c.

The use of insoles, and the necessity for pegging or stitching the sole along its edge, are entirely avoided.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The method of constructing the lower portion of a boot or' shoe in a single piece A, by slitting therear end of the piece and lapping the flaps, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The part A, when constructed substantially as shown and described.

3. The counter of a boot or shoe, when strengthened by the overlapping flaps, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The method of arching a shoe or boot sole, at

D, by cutting the leather at the counter and drawing the flaps together, substantially as shown and described.

. F..J. BUROHAM. Witnesses L. HILL,

edge (6a of the middle flap, fig. 4; the remaining flap A. R. HILL. 

